Winds of Change: The Future of Democracy in Iran

Reza Pahlavi (born 31 October 1960), also addressed as Prince Reza Pahlavi, is an Iranian political activist and dissident in exile in the United States. A member of the Pahlavi dynasty, he is the eldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last shah of Iran, and his wife the empress Farah Diba. He is one of the most prominent figures in the opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Born in Tehran, Reza Pahlavi was officially named Crown Prince of Iran at the time of his father's coronation in 1967. As a cadet of the Imperial Iranian Air Force, he moved to the United States for pilot training at Reese Air Force Base in 1978. The next year, his father was overthrown and the monarchy was abolished by the Iranian Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini. In 1980, following the death of his father in exile in Cairo, Egypt, Reza Pahlavi declared himself shah of Iran, styling himself "Reza Shah II", and actively participated in political activities opposing the Islamic Republic from abroad.

In 2013, he co-founded the Iran National Council (INC). Ideologically, he has expressed support for a democratic transition in Iran and has advocated for a referendum to be held in Iran to determine the nature of the future government. Pahlavi has repeatedly called for protests against the Islamic Republic, and has called for the removal of the current regime from power. He has also advocated for Iran to become an ally of the Western world and Israel. While some Iranians have voiced support for Pahlavi, his support inside Iran remains unclear.

He has been described as a prominent opposition figure during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, though critics have pointed to his reliance on foreign backing and argued that he lacks an organized base of support within Iran.